The Poppies Blow
by Miss Milly
Summary: AU WWI. The group is reunited to mourn the death of another friend decades after the war ends. Rated T just in case.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: This is a new-ish fic of mine that I've finally gotten around to posting here. It is AU WWI and I really hope you enjoy it! Don't forget to review!**

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A warm autumn breeze floated through the bathroom window bringing a small maple leaf with it. The leaf twirled playfully in the small wind before landing silently on the counter. It was then picked up and fingered softly. A small smile played on the woman's lips as it was placed in her coat pocket.

Meredith looked up into the mirror and sighed at the reflection. She tried to pull back the wrinkles around her eyes and briefly caught a glimpse of her younger self before letting go and her skin settled back into place. She frowned, causing more of her wrinkles to show themselves. Meredith sighed again. It all came with her age.

She ran her hands through her white gray hair as she tried looking at herself from different angles, hoping to find one where her wrinkles diminished slightly. She had no such luck. Meredith pulled her hair into a loose bun and left the bathroom.

She walked into the front hallway miserably and grabbed her good coat from the closet. She left the house and closed the door behind her. A different breeze blew by her but instead of being warm like the one a few minutes before it was cold and chilly. Meredith shivered and pulled on her coat quickly. She shuffled down the front steps to her car and slid into the driver's seat. She put her keys in the ignition and started the car.

As she pulled out of the driveway she flicked on the radio. Meredith found a station to her liking and drove through the streets quickly despite her age.

It took her about fifteen minutes to get her car parked and locked. She climbed out and walked slowly up the path on the grassy hill. Meredith glanced around at the newly familiar sight. The trees had already started their colour change from the normal summer green to the beautiful autumn shades of red, gold and orange.

Meredith branched off the path and dragged her feet in dread. She slowly made her way towards the willow tree ahead of her. When she made it to the tree, she frowned slightly at the mound of dirt beside it. Beside the dirt, there was a freshly dug hole and ahead of that, a tombstone.

Meredith waited quietly by the tree as the weather grew colder. Shivering, she pulled her coat closer to her body.

"You're here early." Stated a familiar voice behind her and Meredith smiled softly. The woman walked up beside her friend and linked their arms. "Not that I'm surprised. You two were close."

Meredith looked over at the old woman beside her. Her hair, as usual, was let down in loose curls tinted with some red from her youth. She had aged well. Minimum wrinkles, only a few veins in her hands and almost no sagging whatsoever, Meredith thought jealously.

"I'm gonna miss him." The woman said sadly as she rested her head on Meredith's shoulder.

Meredith nodded slightly and patted her friend's arm. "Me too, Addie." They stood silently, staring at their old friend's gravestone for a few more minutes. "I didn't think you'd be coming to this one." Meredith said, breaking the silence.

"I didn't think so either, but my son offered to drive me down here. I'm really glad he did." She paused. "It could be one of us next." She said softly.

"Nah." Meredith brushed it off. "You're healthy, right?" She added trying not to too concerned.

"Fairly." Addison replied with a smile.

Addison glanced at the grave again. "She's coming, isn't she?" She asked Meredith quietly.

"She has to. He's her- was her husband. She'll show up soon. I know it." Meredith said convincingly, but both knew there was a small fraction of a chance that she wouldn't. Or couldn't.

"I hope you're right." Addison said mournfully as the wind rustled the leaves and branches of the willow beside them.

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**Tell me what you thought! **

**Emily**


	2. Alex

**Thanks for all the reviews! Alright, heres the next one. It's Alex centric and before the war. I'm doing chapters like this for each (or most) character before the war actually starts, just to give them some background. I hope you like it!

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_**1905**_

The great hull of the large steel ship broke through the thin water with ease. It did not shift as the waves beat against the sides with force. Below deck Alex Karev covered his ears angrily, trying to drown out all the noise the waves and other passengers were making. He groaned loudly.

"Alex, honey, please. Your sister is sleeping." His mother whispered so quietly that he barely heard her. He turned to glare at her but Ava was stirring in his mom's lap and he looked at his hands guiltily.

"Sorry, Ma." He mumbled. His mom gave him a desperate look as Ava sat up and looked around wildly. His five-year-old sister started to whimper at her surroundings. She still wasn't used to being on the ship with all the other people. She didn't understand that she wasn't going home again. She just knew she didn't like where she was. Alex on the other knew exactly what was going on. Or as much as a 9 year old cared to know.

"I don't want to go to Canada." He said as if the word caused him physical harm. His mother looked torn as she clutched her daughter close to her body. She glanced over at her sleeping husband beside her before replying.

"I'm not sure I really want to go either." She said quietly. "But, your father thinks this is best. A chance to start fresh. Plus, we get 160 acres of land free and we can't afford to say no. We had nothing at home."

"I know." Alex mumbled quietly. "I'm just tired of this stupid boat."

"I know that darling. We'll be there soon. And you'll see. We'll be so much better off." His mother smiled at him reassuringly as she rocked Ava back to sleep.

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Alex frowned at the sight that lay before him. Endless yellow prairie grass sprouted from everywhere. How were they supposed to make a living off of this?

He glanced beside him to his father. He has holding Ava in his muscular arms surveying the land just as Alex had done. His expression was unreadable. Alex couldn't figure out if he was pleased with what their new country had given them or as angry as he was.

They paid a high price for this measly piece of land. They left their homeland and their family behind and paid for a fatal trip across the ocean. The close family of four had set off together, full of hope and joy to finally build a new and happy life. Only three had arrived at the port in Montreal, crestfallen. They drearily passed the medical exams and boarded the long train ride to their new home. A new home without their mother.

She had died on the filthy ship riddled with disease only a few short days before they arrived. Alex's father said it was better then having the whole family turned away because she was sick.

Alex didn't see it this way. He was miserable. He just wanted to go back to his warm home filled with the mixed scents of his mother and aunt's baking. His father and grandfather would be in the front of their little shop building mountains of skillfully carved furniture and he and his cousins would dash through with bits of stolen food from the kitchen. His father would chuckle and wink at them, promising he wouldn't give them away when the women came to find them. That was before.

Now they just had a heap of untilled land and no mother.

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**What did you think?**

**Poor Alex, I'd be mad if I lost my mom too. Well, actually I don't really like my mom so maybe not...**

**Anyway, please review!**


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